The Edge
by The Dark Crimson Blood
Summary: Luffy was weak compared to his brothers; and because of it, he was looked down on and treated differently until he reached his breaking point. Two shot with the possibility of and alternate end
1. Over The Edge

**Author**: _The Dark Crimson Blood_  
**Story Title**: The Edge  
**Chapter Title:** Over the Edge  
**Genres:** Angst, Tragedy  
**Two-shot with the possibility of an alternate end**  
**Words**: 1,518  
**Summary**: Luffy was weak compared to his brothers; and because of it, he was looked down on and treated differently until he reached his breaking point.

* * *

Luffy had always been the weaker out of the three.

The moment Luffy had been born; everyone had high expectations of him. Maybe it could because his father had been a man who was infamous around the country; Monkey D. Dragon. But maybe it was because his grandfather was none other than Garp, a marine hero; or maybe it was the fact his older brothers; despite not being blood related, were already showing so much progress despite being three years old. There was a three year age difference that went unnoticed at the time.

As Luffy grew older the gap between him and his brothers seemed to be getting wider and wider with each passing day; Luffy hadn't realized it yet, but he was already being slowly rejected for failing so many high expectations. At five years old, Luffy couldn't have realized it yet. He was nothing but a pure child that was born with big innocent, curious eyes; a small, child like body frame, and a blinding smile that was often ignored by the ones he directed it to.

At seven years old he began to realize something was off; it probably started when he was cornered by a bunch of bullies at school, he had lost and Garp had been disappointed in him. The old man had even tried to train him, but never got the same results he had gotten for Ace and Sabo, who were already ten years old.

In return for their hard work, they were gifted; loved, and treated differently from their failure of a brother. Slowly, their lives, wants became more about pleasing their grandfather instead of protecting and treating their little brother as family.

Things had gone downhill from there; because Luffy had realized that as well and when he did; he tried to prevent it. His brothers scolded him for being spoiled when he requested they go to their spot in the woods where they had built a tree house at. It seemed as if they had completely forgotten about it and didn't care.

It had been their special spot.

Just the three of them, no one else; but now Luffy had been subtracted from the equation and at that point, he had realized that he was no longer welcome anymore.

The burning feeling in his chest had never been so painful before.

From them on, he tried even harder and harder to please his brothers and grandfather; but no matter what he did, it never worked; because, as Garp had said, he would never be as good as his brothers and would be destined to be a failure that lets people down for the rest of his life. Those were harsh words, for a seven year old child who hadn't even had ten years of live yet.

At eleven, he realized he was no longer being compared by Garp alone, but instead everyone else; and as the days passed he was met with expectations higher and higher than the previous because of how great his brothers were; the brothers that excelled in both combat and knowledge.

It wasn't as if he didn't try to meet these many expectations; hell, he was trying even harder than he usually was lately, which usually resulted him becoming soaked in sweat and half conscious. He tried studying but he could never pay enough attention to it, he was never one to sit down and read. To make things worse, he had been getting sick a lot; recently, which only made him seem even weaker than before. He hated being sick, it made him feel even weaker than he was because he got slower, tired, weaker, his vision blurred, his actions were slow, and his mind was clouded. Of course, he had to deal with getting sick all the time alone, since everyone else didn't know and probably wouldn't care if he told them

At twelve he felt anger, pure anger towards himself for not being able to do what he should be able to do. Though, he was angry at the wrong people; instead of blaming himself, he should be blaming the adults; the adults who seemed to keep forgetting that he was indeed _three_ years younger than Ace and Sabo, it was a fact even he seemed to forget at most times. It seemed that even his brothers were looking down at him, hating and disliking him for being so, so; pathetically weak.

Before he knew it, he had been completely cast into the shadows of his elder brothers; and he became alone; something he was pretty sure he was used to, but worse. Ace and Sabo; the brothers that loved to play with him and protect him as a kid had began ignoring and glaring at him each time they passed each other before he was ignored completely, and Garp dropped his expectations for Luffy and each time the child looked in the man's eyes; the only thing he saw was disappointment.

It made Luffy feel horrible, because he knew this was his fault; it was his fault that they were ignoring him, shunning him, rejecting him for being the weakling he was treated as- despite the very fact that he was indeed, much stronger than anyone in his grade, as well as at least two grades up. That was ignored, since until he was on the same level as his brothers; both he, and his hard work would never be acknowledged by anyone but himself

He had accepted that fact.

The most embarrassing thing about him was probably the fact he couldn't swim; not even as he turned thirteen in May and his birthday wasn't celebrated again. He nearly drowned when he was pushed into the water by Garp, at first; no one made a move to save him, Ace, Sabo, and Garp simply watched as he eventually managed to drag himself out of the pool and fall to his knees once he was out.

Garp shook his head in disappointment and embarrassment for having such an idiotic son; while Ace and Sabo decided to pretend they weren't related to him. While coughing up water; Luffy nearly wanted to cry, but he didn't. He hadn't cried in years and he most defiantly wouldn't start now.

On the day of his fourteenth birthday; he was still getting sick, and at that point, he had completely pushed side his health and continued until his face was red and his breathing became faster and faster; it wouldn't slow down, and his heart beat kept picking up. It was starting to hurt; so much that he fell to his knees and his hand shot up to where his heart was, clenching the skin uselessly in an attempt to get rid of the pain. It was then he began to wonder whether it was normal for someone to get sick all of the time like this, maybe it meant he was dying?

If he died, he would cease to be alive.  
If he died, no one would look down on him anymore.  
If he died, he wouldn't be lonely anymore.  
If he died, the pain would go away forever.  
If he died, he wouldn't see the disappointment in Garp's eyes anymore.  
…If he died would anyone care…?  
Probably not; since he'd be the only person benefiting from it. He had no friends, anyway; he never did and he never would. But at least his parents would be glad that he died, maybe they'd throw a party the day he did, everyone he's ever disappointed would be there and celebrate, even his brothers!  
No one would have to look at him with a disappointed, let down gaze again! If he died; Ace, Sabo, and Garp would have wide smiles on their faces, the ones he saw when he was a child at the age of 5.

When he died, everyone would be happy!

He'd finally make everyone happy!  
With that in mind, he stood up from his place on the roof and went to the edge; he smiled at the thought, maybe he would've laughed too, but he didn't. He turned around and leaned back; letting his body fall off the roof and felt the wind brushing past him until finally—

_Thud_

Everything went black; and his head hit the ground with a resounding thud Garp would've heard if he had been home; Ace would've seen if he had been home, and Sabo would've watched.

The last thought on his mind was how he had finally managed to make his family happy; they finally had a reason to be proud of him.


	2. They Pushed Him Over The Edge

**Author**: _The Dark Crimson Blood_  
**Story Title**: The Edge  
**Chapter Title:** They Pushed Him Over The Edge  
**Genres:** Angst, Tragedy  
**Two-shot with the possibility of an alternate end**  
**Words**: 1,590  
**Summary**: Luffy was weak compared to his brothers; and because of it, he was looked down on and treated differently until he reached his breaking point.

* * *

Having been out on a four day trip with Ace and Sabo; Garp hadn't expected to come home to a house that was a complete void of noise; he also hadn't expected a crying woman Garp recognized as Makino, to ring on the door minutes after they got home, Garp was tempted to ask what was wrong, but he let her speak on her own.

"A-Ace and S-Sabo need to h-hear this t-too" She had stuttered out in between sobs; and at her request, he called down both his son's and watched as they presented themselves next to him after he let the woman in.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Makino?" Sabo asked, it was obvious that she had been crying for a while now; which was something she didn't usually do.

"L-Luffy" She stuttered again; all three members of the family nearly took a step back, why would she mention Luffy?  
"Luffy? What'd he do _this _time? Useless brat's always causing trouble…" Garp muttered; crossing his arms and nodded in approval when the other two agreed. In reply, Makino gave him the darkest glare she could as she clenched her fists.

"Where the hell were you?" Makino swore; something she rarely did, she had always been an extremely polite woman, so this was new for this family

"The three of us were on a four day trip" Ace replied hesitantly, narrowing his eyes toward the woman; he couldn't pin point what was wrong, why does she suddenly need to know all of this?

"Luffy's dead! He committed suicide four days ago! It was because of comments like that and how you treated him all the time! His funeral already passed! Why didn't you take him with you? Why didn't you treat him nicely?" The words suddenly burst out of her mouth and her tears fell out of her eyes at an even faster pace; dripping down from her cheeks in thick blobs.

"He's…" Ace began,  
"Dead?" Sabo finished,

"Why?" Garp suddenly questioned; why would his son kill himself like that?

"Why?" She asked angrily, "Here" she handed the man a notebook that had the name 'Luffy' written on the front. "It was something found on the roof; right where he jumped from. If anything, the reason he died; was you three. You know, I was the only one at his funeral, he didn't have any friends; apparently, he d-didn't have any family either" She spun on her heels and slammed the door behind her, Luffy had been just like her own child; he would come over at least once each week and talk with her, she lived alone; so it was nice having a visitor.

He would tell her everything; he even confessed and said that he saw her as a mother. She had been the happiest person in the world that day, but now that he's gone, she's the saddest. She hated his family, for not being there for him, for treating him the way they did, for ignoring him, for rejecting him.

She hated his family for taking him away from her; they were the ones who pushed him over the edge in the first place.

She knew everything to, since she had been the only person outside of Luffy's house that Luffy considered important.

Now, she was heartbroken and all alone again.

Garp, Ace, and Sabo were still wide eyed and completely shocked at what had just happened; none of them had been expecting this. Ace grabbed the book out of the old man's hands and slowly, opened the book and immediately read the first page;

"7years old- I was cornered by a few kids that were a few grades above me; there were four of them, they were strong! I lost though; Garp was disappointed again. I wish I could be like Ace and Sabo; they're always getting rewards and praise for being so strong… I wish I was praised… Gifts are cool too, though. I asked them to go to our tree house together; but they call me selfish and spoiled… I probably am, they seem to be avoiding me, too; and there's this pain in my chest I can't explain either… I'll write again later."

Ace, Sabo, and Garp exchanged glances; all three were completely unsure of how to react. Did they really make Luffy feel this bad when he was only seven years old…?

"11years old- Garp isn't the only one comparing me to Ace and Sabo anymore; everyone is! All of the adults and the older kids, I wonder if I'll ever make friends like this. I tried training today; too, but I still can't meet everyone's expectations… It makes everyone sad, right? I tried studying too, but I'm not good with sitting down for long periods of time… Did I mention I've been getting sick a lot lately? I don't like being sick, I wonder if I should tell someone… Maybe I shouldn't, I'll probably get yelled at for being so weak if I do… I'm gonna go train again, maybe I'll get as strong as my older brothers if I keep this up."

Ace swallowed dryly, handing the book off to his brother, who took it hesitantly and continued for the other;

"12years old- Why can't I do what I should be able to do? Why am I so weak and useless? I'm so weak no one wants anything to do with me anymore; Ace, Sabo, and I aren't together anymore; it's like we're not friends! Were we ever friends in the first place? Or did they just pity me since I'm weak? They keep ignoring and glaring at me, I wonder what I did. Garp seems to have stopped expecting anything out of me, it's like he gave up on me; and I even saw disappointment in his eyes the other day, I disappointed him and it's my fault… I've accepted that no matter what I do, my strength and hard work will never be appreciated until it's on the same level as Ace and Sabo's."

Another pause and Sabo's breath hitched, no one made a move to take the notebook from him, so he continued.

"13years o-old—I'm thirteen now, but my birthday went un-celebrated again. Garp pushed me into a pool today; I think it's sad I still can't swim… Garp, Ace, and Sabo watched me struggle to get out of the pool, maybe they wanted me to drown? They'd have one less problem on their hands, wouldn't they? Garp seemed to be disappointed when he saw me struggle, and embarrassed… I'm thirteen, damn it! I should be able to swim; I'd have asked someone to teach me… But no one here likes me; and Makino rarely goes swimming."

He handed the book back to Ace, despite how the other was hesitating to take it; he flipped the page and began reading,

"14years old—I'm still getting sick; but I decided to keep training instead of resting, if I kept resting and taking breaks; I'd never get stronger. By the time I went to rest on the roof; my face was completely red, and I was having trouble breathing; my heart was beating faster and faster and my chest felt like it was gonna burst. Is it normal for a person to get sick all the time like this? Maybe it means that I'm dying… If I died; what would happen to everyone? I don't have any friends; so the only person who'd be there at my funeral is Makino. Garp, Sabo, and Ace would probably go to celebrate; they never liked me, anyway. They wouldn't have to be disappointed in me anymore! They'd probably throw the biggest party ever, and I'd finally make everyone happy! If I died, they'd all be happy! They'd all be proud of me for making them happy! Makino, if you're reading this; I'm sorry, but thanks for being my only friend; 'mom'"

The notebook went blank from that point on and it was carelessly handed back to Garp; "He thought… We hated him?" Ace asked, voice shaking as he clenched his fists in an attempt to hold back whatever tears were forming in his eyes.

"He thought we'd celebrate his death?" Sabo continued, repeating Ace's actions.

Garp was silent as his sons continued to question Luffy's words; he silently put the book on the end table. Luffy had been his grandson; his only grandson, and it was because of him he was gone; and that he was never coming back.

'You're wrong, Luffy. We wouldn't celebrate, we'd mourn.' Garp thought guiltily as he left the room; it wasn't just Luffy he had failed; but his own son, Dragon as well.

Ace blamed himself, he had treated Luffy in such a harsh way and completely forgot that his cute _little_ brother was three years younger than them; he had helped drive Luffy off the edge, and Sabo felt the same

But what was done was done, and there was no way they could bring him back and apologize; they'd be living with this guilt for the rest of their lives.

They had pushed him over the edge without a second thought

'We're sorry, Luffy'


End file.
